Golf practice device



March 22, 1960 c. D. MOFFATT 2,929,632

GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE Filed Oct. 1, 1957 I N V EN TOR. Ll/A/rau .17 Max-v74 77; BY

United States Patent GOLF PRACTICE DEVICE Clinton D. Motfatt, Long Beach, Calif.

Application October 1, 1957, Serial No. 687,562

3 Claims. (Cl. 272-185) The present invention relates to an improved golf practice device embodying a captive ball that is so movably supported as to always return to a driving position after it is hit whereby the device may be utilized to develop skill in striking a golf ball in that the action of the ball after each stroke indicates accuracy and directional qualities of the stroke.

l A major object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight golf practice device for use in acquiring proficiency in striking a golf ball squarely, one that visually indicates errors in direction of driving, and a device which when not in use can be easily dismantled and placed a c mpac n e e fo co ni t r n OI storage, yet is capable of being quickly reassembled in an operative position.

Another objeet of the invention is to supply a golf praetice device by means of which a golf player may im prove the trueness of his stroke, for the captive ball associated with the device is of lightweight, perforated construction whereby it always returns to a predetermined driving position after each stroke, yet after the ball is hit the plane of rotation it assumes relative to its supporting member enables the player to visually determine whether the ball has been hit squarely, or in such a mannet to cause it to hook or slice.

A still further object of the invention is to furnish a golf practice device of the character described that re quires a minimum of space in which to set it up and use, is simple and rugged in construction, eflicient and reliable in performance, can be fabricated from standard, commercially available materials, requires a minimum of maintenance, and can be marketed at a sufficiently low price as to encourage the widespread use thereof. Yet another object of the invention is to provide 'a golf practice device which, by a minor modification thereto, permits use thereof either indoors or on any solid fiat surface such asa floor, sidewalk, or the like, as well as out of doors.

These and other objects and advantages of the preferred and alternate forms of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof, and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of the invention which has been dismantled and arranged in a compact, convenient shipping or carrying position; Figure 2 is a side elevational view 'of the device assembled in an operative position and rigidly "afiixed 'to the un su a Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the captive ball associatedtherewith with "a portion of the ball cut away to show the manner in which it is afiixed to its supporting cable;

Fi u e 4 i a sqmbin d fragmentary s l qn and vertical cross-sectional view of the portion of the device that rotatably supports the ball;

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the rotatable support prior to being formed into an integral unit to rotatably support the cable and ball;

. Patented Mar. 2 2, 196G Figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternate form of the invention; and,

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the angular planes the ball and rotatable support initially define after the ball is hit to visually indicate whether the ball has been sliced or hooked.

Referring to the drawings for the general arrangement of the preferred form of the invention, it will be seen to include an elongate base A from which an inverted L-shaped support B projects upwardly. A member C is rotatably mounted on the outer end portion of the horizontal section of support B, and a flexible elongate member D such as a cable, cord, or the like, depends therefrom. A lightweight captive ball E, preferably of perforated construction, is' supported on the lower end of the eord D. Member C, as can best be seen in Figure 4, is loosely and rotatably mounted on support B in such a manner that should ball E be correctly hit, the ball and cord will rotate in a circular path in a vertical plane. However, if the ball is hit inside-out, its path of rotation will be in a plane G at an angle relative to the ground as shown in Figures 2, 5 and 7, or if hit outside-in, the cord and ball will rotate in an angular plane F relative to the ground surface, but in an angle opposite to that of plane G.

In detailed construction, base A is formed from an elongate strip or sheet 10 of metal such as steel or'the like, and two longitudinally spaced prongs 12 and 14 are mounted on the lower surface thereof or extend therethrough, as can best be seen in Figure 2. Prongs 12 and 14 are adapted to be forced into moist or soft ground (Figure 2) and thereby maintain base A in a fixed'posi-- tion on the surface thereof. One end of base A has a tapped bore 16 extending therethrough which is adapted to be threadedly engaged by the lower threaded end 18 of a vertical first leg 20 forming a part of support B. The balance of support B is defined by a second leg 22 that is in normal relationship to leg 20 and adapted to be positioned in a substantially horizontal plane as shown; A lock nut 24 is mounted on the threaded end portion '18, and when supportB is engaging tapped bore 16 nut 24 may be rotated to' bring-the lower face thereof into frictional contact with base A. Thus, when nut 24 is' so rotated it holds support B in a fixed position relative to the base. As shown in Figure 2, the ball E is disposed in the normally teed elevation. However, this elevation may be varied as desired. In order to lower the'eleva-' tion of ball E, the base A, support B, and prongs 12, 14 are pivoted in a clockwise direction relative to the" ground surface, and by reversing this operation, the elevation of the ball may be increased. In other words, the'player can readily tip the device manually in the ground to insure proper ball position. As best shown inFigures 2 and 4, leg 22 has two longitudinally spaced, transversely positioned bores formed therein wherein identical pins or cotter keys 28 and 30 l are disposed. Rotatable member C (Figure 5) 'comfiguration, extend through the cord D to engage a ci rcumferentially extending flange 38 forming a part of grommet 32. The inner circumferential edge of grout.- met 32 develops into'a tubular sleeve 40 that ex t ends through the open center portion of grommet 34 where by the sleeve is loosely and rotatably mounted on the second leg 22. Two washers 42 and 44 are loosely f h f 2,929,032

mounted on leg 22, with washer 42 being positioned adu jacent grommet 34, between pins 28 and 30. When as-- sembled in the manner just described, the grommets and washers cooperate to permit ball E and cord D to rotate verticallyin a circular path or in either of the angular planes G and F as shown in Figures 2 and'i4f Ball E is a hollow spheroid body defined by .afshell 46 of a resilient plastic material in which a number .of oppositely disposed, spaced apertures 48 are formed. Apertures 48 serve to increase the air resistance of the ball as it moves, and tend to reduce the number of times the ball will rotate in a circular path after being hit, while at the same time accentuating the angularity of either of the planes F or G which the ball may initially assume (Figure 7). The apertures 48 are diametrically opposed to one another, which permits extension of cord D through two aligned apertures to support the ball'in a balanced, centered position as shown in Figure 3. The lower extremity of cord D has an elongate sleeve 50 crimped thereto, and the lower end of this sleeve terminates in a head 51. A first rubber grommet 52 is mounted on sleeve 50 above head 51' and frictionally engages same to the extent that it is immovable thereon. The grommet 52 has a circumferentially extending groove 53 formed therein that resiliently engages the portion of shell 46 defining the lowermost aperture 48 through which cord D passes. A second grommet 52' identical to the first grommet frictionally engages cord D to the extent that it is immovable thereon, and also engages the portion of shell 46 defining the uppermost aperture through which the cord D passes.

Due to the above described mounting ball E is at the plane of rotation of the ball, cord and member will be in that of the planeF. Therefore, it'will' be obvious that the defects in a persons swing in striking ball B will immediately become visually apparentfrom the direction of the initial path of rotation of the ball, cord and member.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figure 6 is identical to the preferred form thereof, except that no prongs 12 and 14 are associated therewith. In lieu of prongs 12 and 14, the base A is of longer and wider construction than base A and sufiiciently heavy ,to remain in a horizontal supporting position on a flat surface when the support projects upwardly therefrom. However, should it be desired, bolts 12' and 14- may be substituted for prongs 12 and 14, with these bolts extending through bores formed in a floor surface to secure base 10 thereto. Of particular interest to the golfer is the fact that the above described invention permits not only perfecting 'his strokes using woods, but irons as well.

"Although my invention is fully capable of achieving the results and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it ismerely the presently preferred embodiments thereof, and'that I do not mean to be limited to the details of construction above described other than as defined inthe appended claims. g

, Iclaim:

. 1. A golf practice device for use in visually determin ing whether a golf ball has been squarely contacted by all times held in a fixed position on the lower extremity or carrying position, and in Figure 2, in the operative position. To place the device in the operative position, a

leg 20 is unscrewed from base A, and the base and prongs are then rotated through 180 whereby the prongs are placed in a downwardly depending position. Leg 20 is then re-threaded into bore 16 and the lock nut 24 rotated to bring it into pressure contact with the upper surface of base A to securely maintain the support B in fixed position relative thereto. The operation described above may simply be reversed in order to arrange the components in the compact condition illustrated inFigure 1, ready for easy carrying, shipped or convenient storage.

-When it is desired to use the invention and it is placed 111 the operative position, the cord or cable D depends downwardly from member C and ball E automatically Jassumes a driving position relative to the ground 'surhall correctly, ball E, cord D, and member C will rotate in a vertical plane. However, if the clubhead does not strike the ball properly, the force of a portion of the blow will have a component that initially causes ball E, cord D, and'member C to rotate in a plane that is angular relative to the ground surface 54, such as one of the two planes of rotation F and G.

Thus, if a right-handed player (not shown) 'is standing facing toward the ball and strikes it in such a manner as to cause it to hook, the ball, cord, and rotatable member will rotate in the plane G as shown in Figures 2 and 7. Or, should the blow impart a slice to the ball,

the head of a golf club to drive said ball in a straight path or whether said ball has received a glancing blow to drive same in a hooked or sliced path, comprising: a horizontally positioned shaft; a support 'leg extending downwardly from a first end of said shaft; a base mem; ber, saidleg being affixed to said base member tospace said shaft a? predetermined distance above said base; means for affixing said base to the ground surface; a ring: shaped grommet positioned rotatably upon said shaft proximate the second end thereof; first and second ,wash ers encircling said shaft movably mounted thereon'at opposed sides of said grommet; first and second laterally spaced retainers afiixed to said shaft proximatethe sides u of said respective washers opposite said grommet to lat erally retain said grommet and washers while allowing rotational and angular movement thereof; a flexible cord afiixed at one end thereof to said grommet and extending downwardly to a position slightly above said ground surface; and a lightweight hollow resilientball of. substan; tially the same diameter as a golf ball and having a plurality of apertures formed therein, said ball being afiixed to the lower end of said cord, whereby the ball when struck will rotate about the shaft at a sufiiciently. slow rate of speed to permit visual perception of its path of travel in a plane determined by the direction and manner in which the ball is struck.

the means for aflixing the base to the ground surface comprises at least one prong extending downwardly from said base, said prong being capable of engaging the ground.

3. A golf practice device as defined in claim 2 wherein said leg is removably aflixed'to said base and adaptedto he reinserted therein from the opposite direction to provide areadily portable device. 7

.References Cited in the file of thisipatent 5- UNITED STATES'PATENTS 

